Brook Trout (‘Saltwater Charr’)

Salvelinus fontinalis

Other names: Saltwater charr, speckled trout, squaretail trout.

Family: Salmonidae (salmons).

Description:

Native to the east coast of North America, where it’s also called speckled trout, brook trout is actually a charr, distinguished from salmon and trout by brighter colouring and distinctive white edges to the lower fins. It has a larger mouth than rainbow or brown trouts and light pinkish-red spots over a darker body. It was introduced to Tasmania in the early 1900s and self-sustaining freshwater populations are found there in Clarence Lagoon and the lakes of the Tyndall Ranges, while hatchery-reared fish are used to maintain populations in Lake Jindabyne (NSW) and a few streams and lakes in SA. Since around 2005 it has been farmed on a small scale in sea cages in Macquarie Harbour in southwestern Tasmania and marketed as ‘saltwater charr’.

Season: Sea-cage-reared fish are available from November – February; wild stocks are only caught recreationally and are subject to seasonal closures over winter in some states.

Size and Weight: In Australia it reaches a maximum size of 6.5kg and 85cm.

Sea-reared fish is sold as ‘saltwater charr’ in fillets, steaks and cutlets. Look for orange, firm, lustrous, moist flesh without any brown markings or oozing water and with a pleasant fresh smell; always buy sashimi-grade fish if serving it raw or rare.

To Store:

Wrap fillets, cutlets and steaks in plastic wrap or place in an airtight container. Refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months below -18ºC.

To Cook:

Saltwater farmed fish has the reddest flesh of all farmed Salmonids in Australia, it is firm with a high oil content and mild, buttery flavour. In wild stock, flesh colour ranges from white to orange depending on diet. In saltwater-reared fish, the centre bone of cutlets can be removed and a filling placed in the cavity. Score whole fish at the thickest part of the flesh, and cut thick fillets into serving-size portions, to allow even heat penetration. Both freshwater-, and saltwater-, reared fish can be served hot or cold.

Cooking Methods:

Steam, poach, pan-fry, stir-fry, bake, braise, grill, barbecue, smoke, raw (sashimi), pickle. Flesh has good gelling characteristics and works well in mousseline or minced for fish cakes and fish balls. The firm flesh of saltwater-reared fish holds together well in soups, curries and casseroles and can be cubed for kebabs. It is ideal served rare.